Keeping the snorri tradition going: an interview with 1999 alumna tanya hofforth

Tanya on Grímsey Island in 1999.

Anyone from the Edmonton area who’s done the Snorri Program in recent years has probably been in touch with Tanya Hofforth (née Hiebert), scholarship coordinator for the Icelandic Canadian Club of Edmonton. What they may not realize, however, is that not only is Tanya a Snorri Program alumna herself – she’s one of the original 1999 Snorris. We spoke with Tanya about her experience as a Snorri pioneer and the role that her heritage continues to play in her life all these years later. 

Answers have been edited for length and clarity. 

Tell us a bit about your Icelandic heritage. Was it a big part of your life growing up? 
I was born and raised in Langley, British Columbia. My grandpa was from a little Icelandic town in Saskatchewan called Tantallon, and I knew his family was from Iceland, but he didn’t know much about their story of immigrating to Canada. It wasn’t until I did the Snorri Program that I learned that story. 

How did you hear about the Snorri Program? 
When I graduated from high school and was getting ready for university, we discovered there was an Icelandic club in Vancouver that offered post-secondary scholarships. I applied and received one, and my mom joined the club. It was in one of the club’s newsletters that she read about a brand-new program for people of Icelandic descent. It seemed like a great opportunity to see Iceland and possibly meet family, so I applied and was one of the lucky 19 to be accepted. 

Heading into that summer, what were you expecting? How did the experience compare to those expectations? 
I remember just being excited to get to see Iceland and see where my relatives came from. I didn’t know I had any family still living there, so I wasn’t expecting to meet any relatives. My experience exceeded all of my expectations! We were the first group, and we only spent one week in Reykjavik at the start of the trip, but it was so great to see all of the sights there and learn a little bit of the language. I didn’t get to stay with my family members for the homestay, but I remember I got a family tree done at the library in Akureyri, and the couple I stayed with in Dalvík took it upon themselves to drive me around on the weekends to meet some of my family who still lived in the area!  
 
Do you remember what you found most surprising or strange about Iceland? 
I would have to say the landscape! When we arrived, I remember thinking I had never seen anything quite like it. It was like a different planet. I also remember seeing waterfalls everywhere I turned! As for the strangest thing, I’d say trying all of the “delicacies,” like fermented shark. 

What are your most vivid memories from the program? 
Two things really stand out. First, two other girls on the program were staying up north not too far from me, and we all really wanted to go to the Arctic Circle, so we arranged to take the ferry to Grímsey. It was amazing to be that far north – and that’s where I first saw and fell in love with puffins. 

Second was visiting the family homestead. I was volunteering at a bed and breakfast, and the local girls who worked there asked me what I really wanted to do or see. All I knew was that I wanted to see the family farm. My family was from the east, from a little farm in Mjóafjörður. So the girls decided to drive me all the way there! We followed a narrow dirt road down to the tiny village, where we happened to meet a man who had written a book about the history of the fjord. He ended up arranging for me to meet a relative who grew up there. After exploring the fjord and camping overnight in a field, we headed to the next town over and met Sesselja María. She was 95 years old at the time and didn’t speak English, so one of the girls stayed and interpreted for us. I was so surprised when Sesselja María took out a photo of my grandpa, grandma, mom, and aunt! That meeting with her changed my life. 

---

Read More